Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Beaucarnea recurvata cultivar Gold Star.
The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Beaucarnea plant, botanically known as Beaucarnea recurvata, and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98Gold Starxe2x80x99.
The new cultivar was discovered by the Inventor in a greenhouse in Honselersdijk, The Netherlands as a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of an unidentified selection of Beaucarnea recurvata. The new Beaucarnea was observed as a single plant in a group of plants of the parent selection in 1996. This plant was selected on its unique leaf variegation pattern as plants of the parent selection do not have variegated leaves.
Asexual propagation of the new cultivar at Enkhuizen, The Netherlands, by tissue culture since 1996 has shown that the unique features of this new Beaucarnea plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual propagation.
The new Beaucarnea has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Gold Starxe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Gold Starxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Upright and outwardly arching growth habit.
2. Dark green and yellow green variegated leaves.
3. Excellent post-production longevity.
Plants of the new Beaucarnea can be compared to plants of the cultivar FACH9901BEAU, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,735. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Honselerdijk, The Netherlands, plants of the new Beaucarnea differed from plants of the cultivar FACH990lBEAU in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Beaucarnea were more compact than plants of the cultivar FACH9901BEAU.
2. Plants of the new Beaucarnea had smaller and shorter leaves than plants of the cultivar FACH9901BEAU.
3. Plants of the new Beaucarnea had narrower yellow green margins than plants of the cultivar FACH9901BEAU.
4. Plants of the new Beaucarnea and the cultivar FACH9901BEAU differed in leaf coloration.